Over 40,000 illegal Bangladeshi migrants deported from Delhi

New Delhi, July 25 (IANS) The government has deported over 40,000 illegal Bangladeshi migrants from the national capital in the past six years, the Delhi High Court has been told. In a fresh affidavit filed earlier this week the government informed a division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice Manmohan that 40,300 illegal migrants from Bangladesh have been deported since 2003.

The action comes as the court directed the government in 2003 to identify at least 100 illegal Bangladeshi migrants in the city each day and deport them.

The court had passed the order on a public interest litigation by a Delhi High Court lawyer seeking a direction to the central government and the Delhi government to frame a policy for deportation of illegal Bangladeshis.

However, counsel for the petitioner objected to the centre’s fresh affidavit and alleged that the government was not following court’s directions that at least 100 Bangladeshi migrants have to be deported every day.

But the court rejected his contention and said that it cannot give any directions to the government in this respect as the government is doing its work.

The court had earlier also pulled up the government for not giving the exact figure of illegal Bangladeshi migrants in the capital and attempts by the government to bypass the court over the issue.

The public interest petition had also contended that illegal stay of Bangladeshis was not only causing serious law and order problems in the capital and bordering districts, but has created extra burden on the civic facilities and rightful citizens were deprived of the facilities.